Unchained Read online

  He kissed her again, just a quick touch of the lips. As much as he told himself to stop doing that, he couldn’t seem to help it. If she was nearby, he wanted to touch her. Hold her. He wanted to kiss her and hug her and to make love to her. Gage gave a shake of the head. Not make love but fuck. Yep, that’s what he’d meant.

  He headed out. If he remembered correctly, there was a hollow tree just to the south of there. He’d been on a scouting mission in this part of the woods and had taken shelter in the cavernous trunk before. It was in the direction of the—

  Wait. What?

  For a moment, it seemed as if the light from the soon to be rising sun had blinked out for a moment. A mere second. Maybe he had blinked. It was possible.

  He stood utterly still, turning back to where he had left his female. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. His heart began to race and his palms became clammy.

  There was no reason for him to feel this way. He could have blinked. It might not have been something blocking out the minimal light. What was he saying? He had most likely blinked. It made perfect sense. Only, he hadn’t blinked. Gage had always trusted his gut. Right now, despite it still being too dark for those fuckers to be out. It was telling him to run. To save his female. To act! To act now! His gut was screaming it!

  Gage didn’t wait, he took off in a sprint, changing into his bear form as he ran. Everything became easier, quicker, more fluid.

  Her scream punched him in the gut. Right there, dead center. It fueled him. Big fucking time. His hackles went up and a growl was torn from him. The growl only deepened as he entered the clearing where their shelter was.

  There she was in a face-off with one of them. It was in man form.

  Edith brandished a stick in one of her hands. She had the thing pointed at the beast. His Curls. His sweet, sweet female. She may as well have been holding a toothpick for all her stick would help her. Gage raced forward, putting himself between Edith and the beast. Edith sobbed as she caught sight of him.

  “I am one of The Feral,” the male said. “Better if you stood down. Go now.”

  Gage roared, his lips curled back from his teeth. Fuck you! He said it in bear, but he was sure that a creature such as this would understand what he was saying.

  Fuck you!

  He repeated as he walked towards the thing. There was only one of them. For now, at least. More would surely come. He stood a chance against one. At the very least, he could keep it busy long enough for Edith to get away.

  Gage heard a cracking noise. It was shifting. Gave him a couple of seconds. He turned to his female and growled. Telling her to go. Willing her to leave.

  She shook her head. “You go. We discussed this, remember?” She spoke quickly.

  Gage growled again. There was no way in hell he was leaving her. It wasn’t happening. That plan had been ridiculous. He never intended on leaving her. Couldn’t do it!

  If she followed the river like he said, it would be a couple of days tops and she’d be back at the village. Chances were one of the scouting packs would pick up on her scent long before then.

  Edith shook her head, her curls bounced. “No, I’m not leaving you.”

  His sentiments exactly. He turned back, looking into the ugly mug of the griffin. Bastard! Those eyes. So cold and calculating.

  It made a screeching noise. Telling him to go. A veritable ‘fuck off’ if he had ever heard one.

  He growled low and deep. Telling the griffin in no uncertain terms what it could go and do with itself. He would defend what was his until his last dying breath. He could see by the look in the griffin’s eyes that it meant to end him. To injure him gravely at the very least.

  “No, Gage!” Edith screamed. “Please.”

  The griffin came at him. Lightning quick! He could see by the way it traveled that it planned to swipe him with its right talon. He jumped towards the beast as it swiped, using its scaly arm as a vault. Gage aimed at its eye, his paw making sweet contact. His claws gouging at its eyelid. He was sure he punctured deep enough to break through.

  Too easy.

  It had been too easy. Why hadn't the creature moved away? If anything, its eyes had widened and zoned in on something. Panic had flared in those golden orbs as he struck, hence his success. It wasn't looking at him but past him though. It was looking at …

  No.

  What?

  No.

  Gage jumped, turning, doing a one-eighty. No. God no! Please let this be some sort of mistake. It was only when he screamed her name that he realized he’d shifted back into his human form. Edith lay in a heap on the ground. She must have run up behind him when that thing struck out with its claw. He’d moved and she’d taken the brunt of the hit. That swipe had been quick and deadly. The creature’s claws were sharp. She was gasping for air, bleeding from her nose and mouth. So much damned blood. “You tried to save me, Curls, no! Why would you do that? You should have left or stayed put, not put yourself in harm’s way.”

  Edith smiled. Through all of her pain and suffering, she smiled. “I had to,” she managed to get out, between gasps.

  The creature made a rumbling noise behind them, but Gage ignored it. He dropped to his knees beside her. He forced himself to calm down. He forced a smile, hoping it was reassuring. “We’ll get you back. We’ll …”

  She shook her head. “No …” There was a look of peace in her eyes. He didn’t like it. He hated it. “Don’t give up on me, Edith. Don’t you dare give up.”

  “Not. Giving. Up.” She gasped and wheezed. “Too late.” She kept gasping. Like she couldn’t get air in. It was no fucking wonder. Don’t look. Keep your eyes on hers.

  “It’s not, no.” He was gasping too, only for very different reasons. Struggling to breathe. “I can’t lose you.”

  “Don’t blame yourself,” she said, her eyes pleading. “My fault.”

  The creature made another rumbling noise like it was trying to apologize.

  “You’re going to be okay.” He used a firm voice, like if he made her believe it, it might actually happen.

  She shook her head. She wasn’t gasping as quickly anymore. Her breaths were far more shallow. “Curls, please.” His voice broke.

  Then he was being shoved aside. Gage flew several feet, landing hard. He felt dazed. It took a second for his vision to clear. Gage needed to move. Had to do it now. He shifted mid-jump, watching in horror as the griffin turned. It had his female up in its talons. The beast rocked back and took to the air. Gage reached up, snagging feathers, but they ripped free. He lost purchase and fell to the ground, landing hard.

  Gage roared. Why was it taking her? What the hell could it possibly want with a dying female? He roared again. The sound filled with anguish. With pain. It ended in anger. Bitter and raw. There was a gaping hole in the canopy where the griffin had broken through.

  Gage dug his paws into the ground and began to run. He wasn’t going to stop until he made it back to his village. He was going to keep his promise to Edith. Gage would amass an army and return to the land of the many towers. He would fight The Feral, taking as many as he could before he himself perished.

  16

  Three days later …

  Gage sat upright. His entire body hurt. Every muscle. Every fiber. Every last inch.

  “Easy.” Ash laid a hand on his chest and gently pushed him back down. “You need to rest.”

  Gage frowned. The last he remembered, he was running. He’d been running for a long time … days. His paws had been raw. His throat hadn’t fared much better. His flanks kept seizing with cramps, and yet he’d forced himself to carry on. “Edith,” he growled. “I have to go.” Gage jumped from the bed, crumpling to the floor as pain shot up his legs.

  “You’re in no state to get up, give it a few more hours,” his brother said.

  “When did I get here?”

  “About three hours ago, so not long enough for you to be getting out of bed already,” Ash said. “Don’t you remember?”


  “No.” He shook his head. He planted a hand on the floor to try to get himself up. Gage snarled from the pain that rushed up his arm. His hands were bandaged. His feet too. His muscles felt slow. It felt as if he was bruised all over. “I need to lead a team. Your female, the children. We have to get them back. Those fuckers ” His voice was hoarse, he was breathing heavily even though he hadn’t done anything. Why was his brother so calm?

  “No, we don’t.” Ash shook his head, his eyes bright. Then he smiled. “They’re here.”

  “What?” Gage frowned.

  “Alice and the children. The creatures let them go.”

  “What? Are you sure?” That couldn’t be right. He felt himself frown.

  Ash smiled. “Very sure. They were returned yesterday.”

  It didn’t appease Gage. Not in the least. “We still need to go and fight. Stop those fuckers from taking any more of our females. From harming them.”

  “No one was harmed. Even Meredith was returned.”

  “What? An unmated female?” Disbelief was etched into every word. “That can’t be. It doesn’t matter.” He raked a hand through his hair. “We still need to go and teach them a lesson. They forced themselves on Meredith.”

  “No,” Ash disagreed, he was frowning heavily. “She wasn’t forced to do anything. At least, that is what she has maintained, and I’m inclined to believe her. She said that she was treated fairly.”

  “No.” Gage shook his head. Ash had been misled somehow. “What did they want with Alice, the children? I’m not buying it. They’re evil, Ash, you have to believe me.”

  “They were curious. Alice said they haven’t seen young in many years. They don’t have any fertile females left. Apparently, all of their females—”

  “I know all of this. They died from clutch sickness …” His patience was growing thin. “I’m not sure what they’re playing at. I don’t trust them. They have no right abducting innocent females and children just because of what happened to them.”

  Ash’s gaze hardened. “I don’t think they went about things the right way, but Alice assures me that they are not a bad bunch. They wanted to see young ones. They were completely captivated by the cubs. They asked a lot of questions about shifters and humans. They want to mate humans of their own. Not our humans though.” His voice grew steely. “They want to breed their own young. They were curious, that’s all.”

  Curious his ass. What the fuck was Ash on about? “Where is Callum’s female then?” Gage demanded. “Has she been returned too?” Gage could hear the skepticism in his words. This didn’t make any sense.

  “Yes.” Ash nodded. “They were all returned yesterday, unharmed. They wanted to talk to a pregnant human. Especially since she is pregnant with a shifter child. They asked her a whole bunch of questions. They want to take humans as mates. That’s all. They have promised to leave us alone.”

  “I don’t get it.” Gage scrubbed a hand over his face. “I don’t understand.”

  “I don’t think they will be back.” Ash poured a glass of water. He popped a straw into the glass and held it out to Gage. “If they try anything again, I will be the first to launch an attack.” His jaw tightened.

  “And you just believe them? You plan to let them off the hook so easily. They took Alice, Ethan—”

  “I know,” Ash growled. He quickly schooled his emotions “We need to be logical about this. Would I like to teach them a lesson? Sure. Do I think going up against a formidable foe like the griffins would be an easy task?” He shook his head. “From what Alice has told me, they are strong and there are a lot of them. It would not be a good idea to go against these Feral. It might be suicide. If they leave us be, we’ll leave them.”

  “So, that’s it then, we just wait until they come back and take more of—”

  Ash’s whole stance hardened. His eyes seemed to darken. “If they pull something like that again, I will amass an army. We’ll utilize human weapons if we have to. I will bring them down.” Ash moved the glass of water back towards Gage.

  Despite the burning in his throat, Gage ignored the glass. “What about Edith?” His voice hitched as he said her name. His heart seemed to stop mid-beat. Everything seemed to still. He knew what Ash’s answer would be, but he had to ask anyway.

  His brother looked grave. “No.” He shook his head. “We had hoped that she was with you.”

  Gage squeezed his eyes shut. His worst fears were realized.

  “Where is she?” Ash asked. “I know that the two of you were taken but …”

  Gage shook his head. “Edith is dead.” He cleared the lump in his throat, swallowing it down. “She was wounded in a battle with one of those fuckers.” He growled, wanting to maim, to kill. Wanting to send an army to destroy them. “She got between it and me … tried to protect me or something. I should have known she wouldn’t stand by and watch me die. She thought that thing was going to kill me.” He shook his head, wishing he had acted differently. If he had known what she planned, he would’ve taken the knock.

  Ash frowned heavily. “Are you sure she’s dead?”

  “Yes!” Gage spat. He huffed out a breath. “I’m sorry. Yes, I’m very sure, it was a mortal wound, similar to the one I sustained on my chest. I’m not sure how she held on as long as she did.” He felt his eyes sting. “She was bleeding … dying …” It came out all choked. “And that fucker took her. There was no way she could have survived.”

  “I can see you cared for the female.”

  Gage clenched his teeth. He nodded once.

  “I’m sorry.” Ash’s expression was grave. “I wish I could say something to make you feel better.”

  “It won’t work, so don’t bother trying.”

  Ash came up behind him, he put his arms around Gage and lifted him back onto the bed.

  Gage bit back a moan. He was in a bad way.

  “Can I bring you something to eat?”

  Gage’s stomach churned. He shook his head.

  “Get some rest,” Ash said, “I’ll bring something in a few hours, you should be much better by then.

  Gage nodded. He turned away, allowing himself to sink into a disturbed sleep.

  You got her killed.” Followed by a pause. “Wake up, you bear fuck!”

  Gage opened his eyes and turned himself onto his back so that he could look into Jacob’s eyes.

  “You didn’t protect the human.” The male’s gaze was hard, his hands were curled into fists. It was safe to say that he was pissed.

  Gage couldn’t deny it. He wished to god that he could, but he couldn’t. Gage hadn’t done enough to protect Edith. Not nearly enough. In fact, it was safe to say that he had put her in harm’s way. Anger rose up in him nonetheless. Who did this pup think that he was? “What is it to you?” he snarled.

  “I … I …”

  “Spit it out.” Why was he goading him like this? What purpose did it serve?

  “Not that it’s any of your fucking business, but I loved her.”

  Gage burst out laughing. He had to hold his stomach he was laughing so much. It wasn’t lost on him how nuts he sounded. How little humor his fucked up laugh held. He felt a bit off his head right now.

  “Stop it!” Jacob pointed at him, his face a mask of rage. “Stop that, right fucking now.”

  Gage stopped but not because the pup had commanded it. “You spent one night with her months ago. How is it that you loved her?”

  Jacob shrugged. "It was more than one night. I saw her after that. She came to see me a good couple of times, but I had to turn her down. Hated to do it. I haven't been able to get her off my mind. I've been with plenty human females, she's the only one I wanted to see again. I was sad when she stopped coming to the Dark Horse and was so happy to see her here last week. I planned on going straight to her on my next leave. Why am I even telling you all of this?" The male suddenly looked tired. His shoulders slumped. "It doesn't matter anymore, does it? You couldn't protect her." Jacob pointed at him. "You fucked up!"


  His words hit the spot. They hit in a big bad way because they were true. They were the same words that had been running around in his own head. Over and over. Gage had let Edith down.

  “You got her killed,” Jacob snarled. His eyes were glowing. “Couldn’t even protect her.”

  That anger was back. Rushing through him. Burning in his veins. “Shut the fuck up!” he snarled.

  “I won’t! Why don’t you make me, asshole?”

  The male didn’t need to ask twice. Gage rushed him. Weak muscles be damned. Right now, he felt fuck all. That wasn’t entirely true. He felt too much. Overloaded with hurt. With pain so consuming.

  When his fist connected with Jacob’s face, some of his anger subsided. None of the pain did though, that blossomed. “How dare you?” he shouted, watching as Jacob staggered back. It didn’t take the male long to get his feet back under him.

  Jacob rushed him, knocking him off balance. He pounded a left to his eye and a right to his cheekbone. Pain exploded. He told himself to fight back but any fight he may have had in him left. Poof! Gone. Gage staggered back, landing on his ass.

  Hurting Jacob wouldn't change things. It wouldn't bring her back; nothing would. If only he could've done things differently. He should never have had sex with her. He'd allowed his desire to cloud his judgment. To cloud his senses. To get in the way of her protection. Now she was gone.

  His fault.

  All on him.

  Jacob was shoved off of him before another punch could hit home. It was Ward, his muscles were bunched. When he looked behind the wolf Alpha, he saw his brother standing in the doorway, chest heaving. “What the hell are you doing?” he shouted at Jacob.

  “Have you lost your mind?” Ward asked the fallen wolf, his voice even.

  “This bear couldn’t protect Edith. It’s his fault she died,” Jacob snarled, getting back to his feet. He wiped some blood off his cut lip.

  “And you know this how?”

  “He’s still breathing,” Jacob said simply. “He’s still fucking breathing, that’s how I know.”

  “He’s right,” Gage agreed. Edith had asked him not to blame himself. She had known him pretty well, even after just a few days. In all the ways that counted he couldn’t help what he was feeling though. He couldn’t help that Jacob was right.